To the astonishment of locals the ancient thoroughfare has suddenly changed colour and is living up to its name.

The city council has removed the grey flagstones from the centre of the lane and has laid reddish-pink Tarmac instead.

Officials say the aim is to improve the road surface and the colour was chosen to match old granite `setts' which were laid to decorate the street.

However, not everybody is pleased at the council's handiwork.

Keith Crombie owner of the Jazz Cafe in Pink Lane said: "Considering this is one of the most historic parts of the city I think it's worthy of better treatment."

The locality dates back to medieval times and Pink Lane gets its name from the Pink Tower which was part of Newcastle's ancient Town Walls and an important part of the city's defences.

Opposite Newcastle Central Station, the lane is also one the first sights to greet visitors to the city. And it was one of Newcastle's last remaining cobbled streets until it was paved over a few years ago.

Today, Pink Lane is home to small businesses, specialist shops, pubs and cafes and traders are proud of the street's history.

Mr Crombie said he had no idea what the council was planning until the Tarmac was laid.

"Improvements were needed because the flagstones were a mess but this looks awful," he said

Resident Bryan Allen, who lives in nearby Clayton Street West, said: "I thought it was an April Fool's joke when I saw it. It's unbelievable." But Civic Centre officials defended the scheme. A spokeswoman said the new Tarmac is a "reddish pink" but said the colour was not chosen because of the street's name but to complement the pink granite setts.

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